water coming out the exhaust

[viridionplague]

so the other day i started my car and let it warm up, locked her up and went inside so i didnt freeze to death, it being -20 outside at the time.

when i got back to the car there was a huge spray mark on the ground, from one of my tail pipes. also there was about a 6 inch icicle hanging from the pipe. and a inch high ice mount under it.

this is from the driver side pipe only and it happens almost constantly

i do have an exhaust leak on that side of the exhaust but it is after the catalytic converter so i dont see how that would cause it, and it being so cold basicaly sucks all the moisture out of the air anyways.

also if you want the exhaust pulse every few seconds there is a slightly stronger pulse coming out of this side that the other, its not as smooth.

any ideas on what this might be? coolant maybe?

 

[revhead347]

Water Vapor is part of exhaust. You just had some water vapor condense in your pipes over night in the cold. It's nothing to worry about.

Kurt

 

[TheDamned]

Yup.. nothing to worry about.. even if you see white smoke it's just water evaporating.

 

[pistonhead]

1 C8H18 + 25 O2 + 25 (3.773)N2 = 8 CO2 + 9 H2O + 25 (3.773)N2

Don't worry about it

One explanation may be that the small hole in the exhaust is condensing the water vapor

 

[earleys94gt]

Agreed, water vapor.

If it was coolant, you would smell it.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

You wouldn't necessarily smell coolant but you would notice the coolant level dropping in the radiator overflow reservoir. If that isn't happening, you've nothing to worry about. Water is a by-product of combustion and on cold days, it'll condense and drip out of the tailpipe until the engine warms up.

 

[viridionplague]

well this happens weather the engine is cold or hot, and its only on the one side thats why im worried about it

 

[Adam95GT]

1 C8H18 + 25 O2 + 25 (3.773)N2 = 8 CO2 + 9 H2O + 25 (3.773)N2

Don't worry about it

One explanation may be that the small hole in the exhaust is condensing the water vapor

As a chemist... i like this answer....

octane+air= Carbondioxide+water.....

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

well this happens weather the engine is cold or hot, and its only on the one side thats why im worried about it

As I said, if you're not losing coolant there's nothing to worry about. Just monitor your coolant level and only worry if it keeps dropping and you're having to keep topping it up.